Trump criticizes Germany over trade practices, defense

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump took aim at German trade practices and defense spending Tuesday following pointed criticism from Chancellor Angela Merkel that Germany may not be able to rely on its allies.

“We have a MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany, plus they pay FAR LESS than they should on NATO & military. Very bad for U.S. This will change,” Mr. Trump wrote in a tweet that launched his first full work day since arriving back in the U.S. on Saturday night from his first foreign trip.

The president provided no details on how his administration would force Berlin to pay more to the Western military alliance or shrink what the U.S. Census Bureau says was a $64.8 billion trade deficit with Germany in 2016 (down from $74.8 billion in 2015).

The Tuesday morning

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tweet was viewed Mr. Trump’s second attack on Berlin in a few days.

Later Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Mr. Trump has a “fairly unbelievable” relationship with Ms. Merkel.

Mr. Trump unsettled Ms. Merkel and other allies during the recent NATO summit when, during his remarks, he did not mention the central commitment members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization make to defend each other.

Ms. Merkel said Tuesday Germany’s relations with the U.S. are of “outstanding importance” but it must engage with other key nations going forward.

Ms. Merkel’s comments came as she hosted Indian leader Narendra Modi.

The two leaders heaped mutual praise upon each other — each referring to the other as a “reliable partner” in a notable contrast to Ms. Merkel’s recent public doubts about Germany’s ties with the U.S.

“India wants the world not just to be interconnected but also that it should be sensibly run,” Ms. Merkel said, backing European Union talks for a trade agreement with India and noting that India was working hard to implement the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

Climate change meeting

Mr. Trump on Tuesday met with the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, ahead of a decision on whether the U.S. will withdraw from an international pact aimed at slowing climate change.

NAFTA renegotiation

Mexico’s foreign minister says the country is “inevitably”set to review rules of origin when renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, giving a boost to Mr. Trump’s manufacturing push.